Collapsible tent

ABSTRACT

A tent comprising a two-piece collapsible frame consisting of spring-loaded sections which are automatically connected on the unrolling of the tent.

United 7 States Pa tent 1191 Leibel Sept. 10, 1974 COLLAPSIBLE TENT 3,963,030 12/1960 Blanchard 135/3 E 75 Inventor: Norman P. Leibel, Pottsville Pa. I 535/15 [73] Assignee: The United States of America as gz a gg -z igi seDcrcemy of the Primary Examiner-Jordan Franklin v Assistant ExaminerConrad L. Berman [22] Filed: Feb. 27, 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Edward J. Kelly; Herbert 211 Appl. No.: 298,705

[52] US. Cl. 135/3 E 135/4 R, 135/15 PQ [51] 11 1. c1. A45f 1/16 [57] ABSTRACT [58] held of Search 135/3 3 7 A tent comprising a two-Piece cbllapsible frame consisting of spring-loaded sections which are automati- [56] References Cited cally connected on the unrolling of the tent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Claims 6 Drawing Figures 2,705,966 4/1955 Magary 135/1 j PATENTEBSEFIOISH sum 1:; z

PATENIEDSEPIOIQH 3.834.410

sum 20; 2

COLLAPSIBLE TENT This invention relates 'to a lightweight, two-man tent comprising a two-piece, spring-loaded collapsible frame which can be assembled or disassembled in a relatively short time.

The present US Army two-man shelter utilizes a number of dissassembled components in order to form a tent. Each man carries half of the required components, i.e., three pole sections, a guy rope and five tent pieces. If any of the components are lost, broken, or misplaced, pitching of the tent could be impossible. Furthermore, it required the cooperation of two men to erect this tent. The total weight of the tent is about 1 1 pounds and 6 ounces.

The present two-man tent is a one-piece unit which i can be erected without the assembling of components.

An individual familiar with the structure can erect the present tent, even in the dark, within 90 seconds. When packaged, the tent measures 6 inches in diameter and 15 inches long, weighs about 6 pounds and 6 ounces, and is comparable in size to the prior Army two-man tent shelter half carried by the individual soldier. The frame requires only one connection, in the center of the ridge pole in order to erect the structure. Pole sections are connected by a spring-loaded cable which passes through the center of the fiberglas poles. By simply unrolling the tent, the spring-loaded sections join automatically and one simple connection completes the erection of the structure. The tent is a tension structure and is freestanding.

It is an object of the present invention to provide and disclose a two-man tent comprising a two-unit springloaded collapsible frame which can be erected in a relatively short time without the assembling of individual components.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide and disclose a two-man tent which may be packaged in a small bundle when not in use.

It is a further object of the invention to provide and disclose a lightweight two-man tent.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustrationof the spring-loaded frame of the two-man tent.

FIG. 2 is a sectional illustration of a corner post of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the connecting means of the corner posts and ridge pole of the frame of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the ridge pole connection assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side view of an illustration of the springloaded frame of FIG. 1 utilized in combination with a tent material.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the tent structure illustrated in FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIG. I of the drawing, the frame of the present two-man tent comprises four substantially vertically positioned corner posts, designated 11, l3, l5, and 17. Each corner post is in turn divided into segments a, b, c, and a, as shown in corner post 15. Segment 0 of post comprises rounded bottom component 19 having reduced upper component 21 as shown in FIG. 2. The exterior of the reduced upper component is designed to be compatible with the interior of cable 29 by means of ring 31 which is anchored in segment d at 33. Segments a, b, c, and a, excluding the lower component of segment a, comprise a hollow tubular configuration in order to accomodate the coil spring and the cable. The various segments are interconnected by ferrule means 35 which comprises a configuration compatible with the exterior of the various segments.

Ridge pole 37 is positioned traverse to the corner post and comprises segments e, f, g, I1, 1', and j. The ridge pole is connected to the corner posts II, l3, l5, and 17 by corner post and ridge pole connecting means 39 as shown in FIG. 3. Segments e and j of the ridge pole comprise peak extension means, and in addition spring-loaded means identical to the means described in segment a of corner post 15. In addition, the ferrules of ridge pole 37 are identical to the ferrules means of corner post 11, 13, 15, and 17. Ridge pole connecting means 41 of ridge pole 37 is the only connection required in the assembly. The connection comprises an exterior sleeve and a solid interior plug having two reduced ends, with both ends adapted to receive, and to separaby retain, segments g and h of ridge pole means 37 as shown in FIG. 4. When the tent frame is erected,

ridge pole segments g and h are connected by insertion into connection 41. When the tent is struck, the ridge pole is separated at its center by disconnecting segments g and h at connection 41, before folding the tent.

The frame is attached to the external surface of any conventional tent material as shown in FIG. 5 by means of bottom supports 43 which comprise an extension of a bottom segment of the tent material designed to be compatible with bottom component 19 of the corner posts, and straps 45. In addition, the tent may have additional features such as liner 47, as shown in FIG. 6.

Illustrative, but without limitations, the segments comprising each of the corner posts have a combined length of about 51 inches, an outside diameter of about 0.375 inch and an inside diameter of about 0.250 inch. The ridge pole, including the two peak extensions have a combined length of about 76 inches, i.e., ridge pole 51 inches and peak extension about 12 /2 inches each. The cable was constructed of steel and of a size compatible with the interior of the hollow segment of the corner post and ridge pole means. The segments of the present frame were constructed of fiberglas in lieu of a metal in order to obviate undesired effects of extreme hot and cold temperatures. However, any suitable metal may also be utilized. The ferrules and other connecting means were constructed of aluminum. In addition, the Neoprene-coated nylon was utilized in combination with the present frame although any suitable material may be utilized.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in materials, details of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A spring-loaded external tent frame having two spaced pairs of corner posts, ridge pole means positioned between the pairs of corner posts, and traverse thereto;

and a tent covering connected to said frame; said frame having two spaced pairs of corner posts, ridge pole means positioned between the pairs of corner posts and traverse thereto;

each of the said corner posts comprising a plurality 5 each of the said corner posts comprising a plurality of hollow segments, ferrule means supporting the of hollow segments, ferrule means supporting the segments at the joinder thereof, coil spring means segments at the joinder thereof, coil spring means anchored in one end segment, cable means conanchored in one end segment, and cable means nected to the coil spring means, the cable means connected to the coil spring means, the cable extending through the hollow segments and anmeans extending through the hollow segments and chored in the opposite segment of each of said anchored in the opposite segment of each of said posts; posts;

said ridge pole means comprising two separably consaid ridge pole means comprising two separably connectable sections, each of said sections having connectable sections, each of said sections having connecting means at an end thereof, said means being meeting means at an end thereof, said means being connected directly to only one of said pairs of corconnected directly to only one of said pairs of corner posts, said separably connectable sections ner posts, said separably connectable sections being composed of a plurality of hollow segments, being composed of a plurality of hollow segments, coil spring means anchored in one end segment, coil spring means anchored in one end segment, and ridge pole cable means connected to said lastand ridge pole cable means connected to said lastnamed coil spring means, said last-named cable named coil spring means, said last-named cable means extending through said hollow ridge pole means extending through said hollow ridge pole section segments and anchored in the opposite end section segments and anchored in the opposite end segment of each of said ridge pole sections; and a segment of each of said ridge pole sections; and a separable ridge pole center connection means for separable ridge pole center connection means for separably connecting said two ridge pole sections; separably connecting said two ridge pole sections;

whereby on disassembly of the tent, the frame is sepwhereby on disassembly of the tent, the frame is separated at the center of the ridge pole .and folded. arated at the center of the ridge pole and folded.

2. A tent frame in accordance with claim 1 con- 4. A tent in accordance with claim 3 wherein the structed of fiberglas.

3. A tent comprising a spring-loaded external frame 

1. A spring-loaded external tent frame having two spaced pairs of corner posts, ridge pole means positioned between the pairs of corner posts, and traverse thereto; each of the said corner posts comprising a plurality of hollow segments, ferrule means supporting the segments at the joinder thereof, coil spring means anchored in one end segment, cable means connected to the coil spring means, the cable means extending through the hollow segments and anchored in the opposite segment of each of said posts; said ridge pole means comprising two separably connectable sections, each of said sections having connecting means at an end thereof, said means being connected directly to only one of said pairs of corner posts, said separably connectable sections being composed of a plurality of hollow segments, coil spring means anchored in one end segment, and ridge pole cable means connected to said last-named coil spring means, said last-named cable means extending through said hollow ridge pole section segments and anchored in the opposite end segment of each of said ridge pole sections; and a separable ridge pole center connection means for separably connecting said two ridge pole sections; whereby on disassembly of the tent, the frame is separated at the center of the ridge pole and folded.
 2. A tent frame in accordance with claim 1 constructed of fiberglas.
 3. A tent comprising a spring-loaded external frame and a tent covering connected to said frame; said frame having two spaced pairs of corner posts, ridge pole means positioned between the pairs of corner posts and traverse thereto; each of the said corner posts comprising a plurality of hollow segments, ferrule means supporting the segments at the joinder thereof, coil spring means anchored in one end segment, and cable means connected to the coil spring means, the cable means extending through the hollow segments and anchored in the opposite segment of each of said posts; said ridge pole means comprising two separably connectable sections, each of said sections having connecting means at an end thereof, said means being connected directly to only one of said pairs of corner posts, said separably connectable sections being composed of a plurality of hollow segments, coil spring means anchored in one end segment, and ridge pole cable means connected to said last-named coil spring means, said last-named cable means extending through said hollow ridge pole section segments and anchored in the opposite end segment of each of said ridge pole sections; and a separable ridge pole center connection means for separably connecting said two ridge pole sections; whereby on disassembly of the tent, the frame is separated at the center of the ridge pole and folded.
 4. A tent in accordance with claim 3 wherein the frame is constructed of fiberglas. 